Improvement in line-fasteners



A. c. SWOARDS. LINE-FASTENER. No .181,998. Patented Sept.5,1876.

7WIT% 0 a 6 0y VINVENTOR 6%Qzudwm l ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT G. SWOARDS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

-IMPROV EME NT IN LINE-FASTENERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. [81,998, dated September 5, 1876; application filed July 22, 1876. v

I of a perspective view of my improved clothesline holder; and Fig. 2 is a crosssectional view of the same, taken through line 00 :20,

' Fig. 1.

This invention has relation to clothes-line holders; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of the bifurcated or U-shaped lever-clamp, whereof the branches are of unequal length, and designed to be turned downward, carrying upon the bend a hook turned upward in the plane of the branches, and from the longer toward the shorter thereof, and provided with inside spurs at or near the ends of the branches, all formed in one piece, as hereinafter shown and described.

In the annexed drawings, the letter A designates my improved clothes-line holder, consisting of a U-shaped body, a, and of a hook, B. This device is intended to be passed astraddle over the edge of a fence, in' which position the hook B will have its free end extended outward from the inclosure. The legs 0 c of the body of the holder are of unequal lengths, the shorter, 0, being designed to be upon the outside, and the longer, 0, upon the inside of the fence. Leg 0 is provided, upon its inner surface and at or near the middle of its length, with a sharp projecting spur, d, and leg 0, with a similar spur, 01, near its lower end. These spurs will bury themselves in the wood of the fence when the line is passed through hook B and drawntaut, and being at different levels-that is, the one above the other, will effectually prevent the device from vibrating vertically in the plane of the fence, and thereby disengaging itself therefrom. They will also prevent the flapping of the clothing, under the influence of the breeze, from raising the holder off of the fence. The

span of the fork is designed to admit the end of a panel-board of ordinary thickness, and is made with plenty of space between the the branches, which will readily adjust themselves to bite on the board when the line is put in place over the hook.

In practice, the inner edges of the legs 0 0 will be of angular form, in order to give them greater strength and rigidity, and that by burying themselves slightly in the boards they may the more readily hold the device in an upright position; but I do not deem this construction indispensable.

The free end of the book will also have an enlargement or knob, k, which will prevent the line from casual disengagementtherefrom, and facilitate its attachment thereto.

The holder above described. will be made in one piece of wrought, cast, or malleable iron, and I prefer that it should be galvanized when these materials are'used; but .I may construct them of any other suitable metal if I deem it expedient.

It is manifest that the'outer leg may be made as long as the inner one; but it would be a waste of metal, as its biting-spur must remain at its upper portion, in order to preserve its position relatively to that of the inner leg.

As the parts of this holder are in the same I plane, it is especially adapted to' be constructed by casting, and will be in this manner most economically manufactured.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The bifurcated or U-shaped lever-clamp for clothes-lines, having the long and short branches 0 0 turned downward, carrying upon the bend a hook, B,.turned upward in the plane of the branches, from the longer toward the shorter thereof, and provided with inside spurs d d at unequal levels, and adapted to bite into the wood of a fence when under the strain of a clothes-line, all said parts being cast in one piece, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses. v

ALBERT C. SWOARDS.

Witnesses:

ALLEN H. GANGEWER, GHAs. F. VAN Home 

